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Toughen sentences for 'dangerous' cannabis: DPP
Jeremy Roberts and Verity Edwards | The Australian | February 13, 2006

COURTS must impose tougher sentences for cannabis-related crimes because of the damage it does to the mental health of marijuana smokers, South Australia's Director of Public Prosecutions has demanded.

Speaking at the first-ever "open day" for the office of the DPP in Adelaide, Stephen Pallaras QC said he was waiting for the right drug case to appeal to a higher court.

"I have heard the research on the link between mental illness and cannabis and it concerns me greatly," Mr Pallaras said.

"It may be time to reassess the way the court approaches sentencing in light of research on cannabis. We are waiting for the right case to bring before the court of appeal."

Mr Pallaras's plan to test judges' sentences for cannabis crimes comes as both sides of state politics have announced tougher policies on hydroponic cannabis grown for trafficking.

But personal use of cannabis -- defined as possession of one marijuana plant -- remains decriminalised since 1988.

Offenders face a maximum of 25 years in prison and maximum fines of $500,000 if caught with more than 2kg of cannabis or more than 19 plants.

A growing scientific consensus suggests cannabis produces serious and chronic mental illness among people who would not otherwise suffer it.

Mr Pallaras's plan to toughen his office's stance on sentencing in cannabis cases follows his decision last month to appeal against what he considered to be a "manifestly inadequate" sentence handed to a woman convicted of cannabis offences.

It was the second appeal against lenient cannabis sentences since September.

The Weekend Australian has studied the cases of 15 people convicted of offences including possession and production of cannabis since October.

Of those convicted, one person was given a two-year sentence and 12 people were handed suspended sentences.

The DPP appealed the three-year sentence of George Petroff, 35, in late November -- which was upgraded to four years and six months -- and in January successfully appealed the sentence of Dianna Ivic, 40.

The Court of Criminal Appeal replaced a suspended sentence in the District Court for Ivic with three years and a non-parole period of 18 months. The prosecutor said the sentence had been "manifestly inadequate".

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Freestyle420z

PATHETIC UNRELENTLESS MONSTERS WHO HAVE NEVER HAD A NICE LIFE OR INTERESTING CHILDHOOD! SECLUDED LOSERS WHO WERE MADE FUN OF BY THE COOL CROWD. WEAK MEN STILL TRAPPED IN A SELF CONCIOUS BODY WHO GOD DIDN'T WANT TO SEE WHAT LIFE REALLY IS. THESE THINGS ARE A DISGRACE TO THE HUMAN RACE PERIOD. SMELLY RATS THAT SHOULD ONLY BURN WITH WIRES WRAPPED AROUND THERE JAW FOR ETERNITY!

All this and not one curse word... hmmmm.... I cannot believe that the heart of man would double cross his own people over a cause that is so understood since man was alive? How could man transform into a group with such hate, such misguidence to what life really is, and be so scared of things we don't understand? These petty court rats should only themselves HAVE A ****"N CHILD AND THAT CHILD BE ARRESTED FOR SMOKING OR SELLING WEED IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM AND ROT IN JAIL FOR 25 YEARS FOR A COUPLE POUNDS OF CANNABIS! DADIES GIRL DOING 25 YEARS FOR 3 KILO"S AND 20,000 in cash? WHO GIVES A ****! SERIOUSLY! I MEAN R U ****ING KIDDING ME!?!?! MAKE THE ****"N **** REGULATED AND STOP THIS MADNESS! OUR GOV"T IS RUN BY PETTY WEAK MEN WHO SHOULD ONLY HAVE THERE FACE BROKEN SO BAD THAT THEY STAY IN BEDROOM AND NEVER LEAVE!

Tolerance4all

From - http://www.schizophrenia.com/hypo.php

"Although the exact cause of schizophrenia remains unknown, experts do agree that schizophrenia develops as a result of interplay between biological predisposition (for example, inheriting certain genes) and the kind of environment you are exposed to."

After years and years of study the experts don't know what causes Schizophrenia. But the prohibitionists can conclude that Cannabis does in just a short period of time.

The only studies I have seen are surveys. What do they ask? Everyone knows the stigma still associated with mental illness. Of course someone with a mental illness is going to chose an external source for their mental illness. Know one wants to believe they are different from their fellow human beings.

And again as many others on this forum have pointed out. Maybe people who are predisposed to mental illness seek out Cannabis in an effort to relieve their symptoms.

johnnyd

There are alot of people who suffer from schizophrenia that smoke (almost chainsmoke) alot of cigarettes. Can I then assume that tobacco causes Schizophrenia?